Philpott Sentence

I love it that the voice of reason is coming from those people who are not quoting religious texts extolling us all to 'hang 'em up' type. Phillpott will probably align himself with the hard nuts in prison, so will obviously misbehave. Adding to his sentence. He has a minumum date BUT it doesn't mean he will get out - he could end up there far longer. He has a huge sense of entitlement so will not be the rehabilitation type, he's also 56 years old. He won't get out until he is in his 70's and if he is a smoker and illegal drug taker in prison will be lucky to live that long. He may in segregation for his own safety for some time .
Jeffrey Archer wrote 2 books about his time inside. I hate his other books and don't care for the man - but these 2 books are very enlightening. He was not allowed to publish them until his release as he couldn't gain financially whilst inside.

To be fair to Archer (why? I must be in a good mood) it could be argued that he was writing about his prison experiences and that could hardly be said to be benefiting from his crime. Apparently, he and Jonathan Aitkin made themselves quite popular in prison by helping illiterate prisons to write/read letters or put together pleas.
I think it was Aitkin who said that after years at public school prison was a doddle!

I resent the implication that those with a religious belief are 'hang'em up types'. My left wing and liberal, with a small l, credentials are well documented on this forum. And so are those of many others.

And, yes, I do think that Philpot should be treated in the same way as any other prisoner who has committed serious crimes. And I do have faith in the professionalism of the prison officers to ensure this.

Micelf - you are the voice of compassion and reason, whatever your politics, which I share, or beliefs, which I dont!

MiceElf I share your optimism, but will not be surprised if, a year or so down the line, one or two prison officers take their eye off the ball and allow Mick Philpott to be attacked. So many high profile offenders that have killed children have been slashed with razors tucked into toothbrushes or had boiling sugared water thrown at their faces. The pecking order amongst prisoners is still barbaric, despite the best intentions of prison authorities.

"I love it that the voice of reason is coming from those people who are not quoting religious texts extolling us all to 'hang 'em up' type."

I might comment on that if I could make head or tail of it.

How can he not be evil?!!! He was willing to risk the lives of children by setting fire to the house under them, while they slept in their beds! He is stupid, but there has got to be an underlying evil in him.

I don't bay for his blood. But neither would I shed any tears if someone harmed him.

j08 you have put more succinctly what I was trying to say. I don't condone violence in any way but this man is beyond evil and deserves to feel the fear that he instilled in others.

Like most bullies, I believe he is a coward so probably won't fit in with the "hard" crowd. I wouldn't want to see him "got at" by the other prisoners, firstly because two wrongs don't make a right and secondly, prison officers would have to go in to try to protect him and could be harmed

My greatest wish is that his remaining children can get on with their lives without any stigma and that he disappear behind the walls of the prison and is then forgotten about by the rest of the population

Yes, sunseeker my major concern is those other children. Let's hope their mothers get the support they need.

He s a disgusting creep who stabbed a woman 27 times when she dumped him, raped another woman, and tortured and caused the death of 6 children. I don' t give a stuff what happens to him in prison, however un PC that may be.

A couple of days ago it was reported on the BBC he stabbed her 7 times, now the Sun and Guardian say both 11 and 13 times, and the DM says 27 times.

Suppose the number doesn't really matter

I read it in the times

I am digging deeply into my better nature to say that it is only right that he should be protected in prison, but I cannot in all honesty say that I would be sorry if something (preferably painful) happens to him.

j08 - heartily agree. Life should mean life. Nelliemoser has the right idea - throw away the key and whilst like her, I don't condone retribution by other prisoners, I would just look the other way.

Would those people who seem to be advocating unsupervised, possibly fatal and certainly painful extra-judicial punishment in addition to judicial punishment clarify which kinds of prisoners they feel this should apply to? This appalling Philpott creature has been found guilty of manslaughter, so I assume those convicted of manslaughter and murder would qualify or would it be only those causing the deaths of children.

Should we go down the road of cutting off the hands of thieves and bringing back the birch rather than relying on the wisdom of other convicted prisoners to administer the punishment the general public considers suitable?

No-one' s "advocating" anything. Just saying, in this particular case would probably be tempted to look the other way.

We're not prisons officers so no need for any knicks getting twisted. But we are humans. Not angels.

Relishing the prospect rather than advocating then?

I honestly don't think I will be thinking about him at all.

I don't understand how anyone can become that stupid. And then to not show any real horror after the event confirms the evil in him.

J08 It is a dangerous path to start on when we condone a lynch mob / vigilante mentality. I believe this hideous man Philpot should send the rest of his life in a place that simply meets his basic needs. I think if we wish him harm or think harming by others is OK it diminishes a sense of humanity in the rest of us. Too many blind eyes are turned at inhumane situations as it is..let's not add even more. It will not make the world a better place nor bring back the children who died.

absent the voice of reason - no one should lynch, allow other prisoners to vent their rage or anything else for that matter.
Are we all going to lower ourselves to that standard - something a person like Philpott would advocate. He is in prison, and it will be for the rest of his natural or until he is too old to matter. This is because he is guilty of a heinous crime and we want to remove him from the general population, who try to behave like human beings and lead good honest lives. There are more of us then there are of them. So to lower ourselves to violence would mean we are no better then he.

It does make hypocrites of us when we call for or condone barbaric treatment of those offenders whose own barbaric offences we abhor.

Ok. I'm sure you are all perfect angels. I'm not. I hate child killers.

I really don't care what happens to Phillpot inside. Or anywhere else.

I refuse to feel any sympathy for him.